Organochlorines Contaminants in Eggs of Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) from Mexico coast

Persistent organic pollutants in plasma and stable isotopes in red blood cells of Caretta caretta, Chelonia mydas and Lepidochelys olivacea sea turtles that nest in Brazil

Studies of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorinated pesticides (OCPs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), in sea turtles are reported, but there are still spatial data gaps worldwide. POP contamination of live female blood plasma from Caretta caretta (n = 28), Chelonia mydas (n = 31) and Lepidochelys olivacea (n = 19), which nest in Brazil and feed along the South Atlantic Ocean, was investigated. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes from red blood cells (RBC) were also evaluated to obtain information about trophic ecology. C. caretta had the highest POP concentrations, followed by L. olivacea and C. mydas. PCBs predominated in all species, and the major OCPs were the DDTs (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and derivatives) and Lindane. POPs and stable isotopes revealed intra- and interspecific variations, which reflect the high plasticity in the use of habitat and food resources, making individuals within the same population susceptible to different exposures to pollutants.

Effects of agricultural pesticides on the reproductive system of aquatic wildlife species, with crocodilians as sentinel species

Agricultural pesticides represent a significant class of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) to which non-target organisms around the world are constantly exposed. Laboratory studies have found strong evidence showing the endocrine-disruptive potential of these pesticides at environmentally relevant exposure levels. Since the field of endocrine disruption continues to grow in richness and complexity, this review aims to provide an update on the effects of two agricultural pesticides that act as EDCs: atrazine and endosulfan. We will focus mainly on the effects on crocodilians due to their worldwide occurrence in tropical and sub-tropical wetland ecosystems and their ecological and physiological features, which render them vulnerable to exposure to pesticides with endocrine-disrupting action at all life stages. The results here reviewed provide important insights into the effects of hormonally active agricultural pesticides at cellular, tissue, and organ levels in the reproductive system of crocodiles. A better understanding of the effects of exposure to environmentally relevant doses of EDCs on the reproductive system of crocodilians will contribute to protect and improve the health of both wildlife species and humans.

Analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and organochlorine pesticides in the tissues of green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas, (Linnaeus, 1758) from the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates

The level of contamination of selected priority pollutants consisting of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were investigated from the tissues of stranded green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas, from the Gulf of Oman coast of the United Arab Emirates. Tissue samples - muscle and liver - were collected from 22 stranded green sea turtles from the coasts of Kalba and Khorfakkan from 2016 to 2018. Overall, we detected persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in 77% of the turtles. PAH's were the most frequently detected followed by high concentrations of OCP's (71% and 25% of the turtles, respectively). PCB's were not detected in any samples. Factors such as specimen size, mass of debris ingested and toxin hydrophobicity were not important factors affecting the concentrations of these compounds.

Maternal Transfer of Persistent Organic Pollutants to Sea Turtle Eggs: A Meta-Analysis Addressing Knowledge and Data Gaps Toward an Improved Synthesis of Research Outputs

Maternal transfer of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) confronts developing embryos with a pollution legacy and poses conservation concerns due to its potential impacts unto subsequent generations. We conducted a systematic review focusing on: 1) processes of POP maternal transfer, 2) challenges and opportunities to synthesizing current knowledge on POP concentrations in eggs, and 3) a meta-analysis of patterns in current egg pollution data. Results suggest selective maternal transfer of individual compounds. These relate to biological factors such as the foraging and remigration behavior, and to the selective mobilization of POPs during vitellogenesis, such as increased diffusion limitation for lipophilic POPs and slower release and higher reabsorption of apolar POPs. A key gap relates to knowledge of further selective toxicokinetics during embryonic development, as research to date has mainly focused on initial uptake into eggs. Challenges in the synthesis of current data on egg contamination profiles relate to methodological differences, varying analytical approaches, restricted data access, and reporting transparency among studies. To increase opportunities in the use of current data, we propose best practice guidelines, and synthesize a database on POP concentrations within sea turtle eggs. The meta-analysis revealed a geographical and taxonomic bias on the West Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, with most studies conducted on green turtles. Concentrations of POPs show temporal patterns related to trends in usage, production, release, and persistence in the environment, often with regional patterns. The trophic level has the potential to influence POP patterns with higher concentrations in loggerheads compared to other species, but this is confounded by temporal and geographic trends. We argue for more mechanistically process-focused and methodologically comparable research. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;39:9-29. © 2019 SETAC.